After nearly 50 amendments debated over eight days, Calgary city council has rubber-stamped the 2026 budget, including a significant cut to the proposed property tax increase that homeowners had been nervously eyeing.

"Colleagues, I didn't actually think we'd ever get to this point," joked Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas ahead of the final vote on the budget on Wednesday.

In the end, the budget passed 12-3.

LiveWire Calgary founder and editor Darren Krause told CBC Radio's Calgary Eyeopener on Wednesday morning that the marathon hearings signalled the predominantly-rookie council took seriously its first major task since assuming office.

"It tells me that they really do have a genuine vested interest in compromise. They have a genuine interest in moving Calgary forward," Krause said.

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